Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

In Six Months I Lost My Mind But Found My Heart

Chapter Six: Shopping Break Out

January 19th

5 Months 2 Weeks & 2 Days Left

Bella's POV

Today we were going shopping.

Aghh! My worst nightmare, especially with Alice taking the lead.

Now I'm not a fan of shopping but decided to appease her and just go. Turns out it became a group event. All of my friends were there and even Edward who looked completely out of place. He had a look of terror on his face and I wondered if he was going to bolt out the door at any second.

Alice must have thought the same as she entwined her arm with his, keeping him glued to her side, then she did the same to me. We were her prisoners and had no chance of escape.

Jacob, Mike and Ben decided they didn't want to go to the same stores as us so dashed off before they could be dragged in by one of the girls. Edward had no choice. Alice was not letting him out of her sight; she insisted he would run away. He just rolled his eyes but didn't put up a fight.

Jessica and Lauren took charge at that point. Alice said she would rather get what they wanted to do over and done with before they followed her regime, that way they couldn't whine about not doing what they wanted to do. Angela just followed us along, keeping me company while Alice berated Edward for something.

After our fifth shop it became apparent that Lauren and Jessica were modelling items that were to be appealing to the only guy in the group. He was being polite and telling them that they looked nice, but that wasn't the reaction they wanted.

I thought I was doing brilliantly well after the sixth shop realising that I hadn't been forced into any clothing yet. Thank God. Who knew what they were going to have me model for them.

Apparently I was going to find out sooner than I thought though as Lauren and Jessica had been everywhere they wanted to go. Now it was Alice's turn. She dragged me into the closest store, shoved me in a dressing room, told me to strip down to my underwear, then came back a few minutes later with handfuls of clothes.

I was trying to put on the correct items while she was commanding through the curtain what went with what. It was confusing to say the least. After fighting to get them on I would come out and all eyes would be on me.

They would discuss me like I wasn't even there, making comments about the colour, style; how it looked on me, the problems, what would look better, then make a final decision. If I was to get it they would all nod then force me back in to take it off and give it to them. If it was to go I was shoved in the changing room as they pointed out the obvious faults then hand it to them so they could put it back.

It was tiring work. I had modelled about twelve completely different outfits and we hadn't even been to the second store. It was taking its toll, not just on me. Edward looked positively bored; he also became my impartial judge in all of this.

When we were at the second store he would indicated which item he preferred silently. Thumbs up if it all looked good, thumbs down if it was a disaster. When he only liked one item he would point to it on himself. He was giving me the exact same response as his sister, just seconds faster.

He would tell me what he thought as the girls were still deliberating, and then they would tell me the same as him. I guess he can be an ass but he seems to know fashion and what looked good. Of course there were times when he would have a different answer to Alice and the girls but he would stay adamant that they were wrong and it turns out I agreed with him on most.

As I was changing into another outfit in the third store we had entered I felt a draft on my back. I was facing the wall with the changing room curtain behind me; it had to have opened slightly. As I turned slowly I saw him, watching me. It wasn't a perverted leer or anything like that.

Edward was sitting in one of the chairs a few feet away and had glanced up. He saw through the gap in the curtain to see me standing only in my underwear, thank God it wasn't a big gap. I saw him take a sharp intake of breath as his eyes roamed my body then made their way to mine. We were staring directly at each other.

"Hurry up Bella! We have stores to go to and things to buy, now come on!" Alice screeched, breaking our eye contact. I quickly tugged the gap shut and threw on the next item. My heart was thumping so loud in my chest; I wouldn't be surprised if they could hear it.

At the fourth shop on Alice's list I managed to convince her that it was someone else's time to model for them. Somehow Angela got dragged into it, she was secretly sending me daggers but with a small smirk so at least she wasn't annoyed. This was the only time Alice took her eyes off me and Edward.

I was standing against a clothes rack as the other three pointed out to Angela the good and bad of what she was wearing when Edward came and stood directly behind me. I could feel his breath against the back of my neck which sent my heart racing again.

"Want to get out of here?" He whispered. Angela had spotted the exchange but hadn't alerted the others. "Alice won't notice, come on." He lightly tugged my arm and I went to follow him, but first signalling to Angela to keep quiet. She winked telling me she understood.

We made our getaway out the store as fast as possible. To avoid being found we stayed clear of the main food court and headed upstairs to a quiet secluded cafe. They would never look here and probably assume we just left. Though Alice would have her suspicions as Edward and I haven't spoken to each other in the last four days.

I wasn't hurt by what he said, just wounded slightly. I thought that we could be friends but apparently that's not what he thought. After the lunch we had last week I assumed that he was okay with me and that there were no problems. Turns out I was wrong. There seem to be more problems than solutions. I just don't get what I've done to him.

So we wouldn't get kicked out of the cafe we ordered something to drink then sat in silence. I didn't know what to say and I don't think he did either. The escape seemed perfect but now what were we to do? It's not like we could go anywhere as once Alice realised we weren't there she would come searching for us.

The drinks arrived and we both took quiet sips. Then the awkwardness set in. He played with a napkin on the table, drying up the condensation from his glass, as I looked at the artworks on the wall.

"I'm sorry for what I said a few days ago. There's no excuse for that behaviour and I understand perfectly if you don't want to be friends with me but I would at least like to make nice. Rather than avoid you I would prefer it so that we could at least be around one another without any troubles even if we aren't friends." Edward said as he looked down and folded then unfolded his napkin. My brain had a lapse for a second and I thought he looked cute when he was nervous.

"I think we can at least be civil to one another. Then we'll go from there."

"I'd like that. Thank you." He finally was looking at me and not the napkin. "You keep giving me all these chances, I wonder if I'm eventually going to run out."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that, we still have months left together."

"Five months two weeks and two days left." He informed me.

"I'm not sure if you were trying to reassure me by telling me the exact time left. It seems obvious that you are counting down the days until it was over." He smirked but shook his head.

"Nah I just like wanted to know how much time left. I'm not counting down the days. Just keeping track of the days. Let's think of it as how many days I have left to become your friend and not just some rich asshole who acted like a snob the entire time."

"Not a snob the entire time, you helped me escape from Alice's shopping grasp." He shrugged.

"I've been there before; she doesn't stop until you're dying." I smiled and nodded, that totally sounded like Alice. "Would you care for something to eat?" He asked pointing at the menu.

"Are you hungry?" I asked.

"Slightly but I won't eat unless you want to."

"Then let's eat." He smiled and called over the waiter. We ordered our food and both took another sip of our drinks. "Thanks for your opinions on all the outfits I was forced into."

"You're welcome. After years of being forced to shop with Alice I've picked up a few of her techniques."

"If Alice wasn't your sister I would have thought you were gay." He chuckled and shook his head.

"Nope, definitely not gay."

"Can you prove it?" He smirked at my semi challenge.

"I'm sure Lauren would love that." I frowned slightly; I don't see the connection between them. After she had dinner with us Edward and her have been inseparable.

"What's going on between you and her?" I asked curiously.

"Ehh...I don't know. She seems to like me but I just met her so...yeah it's kinda complicated. She's made her intentions very clear with what she wants us to be but I don't want to date anyone when I'm here. There's no point, nothing will come of it." He shrugged just as the food arrived.

After a few mouthfuls of food we got back on track with the conversation.

"How do you know nothing will come of it?" I asked.

"Do you want me to date Lauren?" I felt like he was calling me out, challenging me.

"Not particularly." He smirked.

"Why not? What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing's wrong with her per say. She just likes the limelight and you are a showman who likes the attention too. If you two went out it would be all everyone would talk about and she would love it. I don't think that she would date you if it didn't benefit her in some way." He nodded in agreement.

"That's another reason for not dating her. Well that and also that I'm not particularly fond of her. She is kinda irritating."

"You have no idea." I murmured under my breath not expecting him to hear me, he did though and chuckled lightly.

"So what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Are you seeing anyone? Several seem like they're interested."

"Like who?" I had no idea about this.

"Jacob and Mike for starters. Jacob watches you from afar whereas Mike sticks around close and watches you like a hawk. On the first day I thought he was going to deck me for just being there. He glared daggers at me and made it clear I was not welcome." I sat there completely bewildered. I can't believe this. Jacob I kinda figured but Mike, no way.

"You serious?" He smirked and nodded.

"Those two are rather protective of you Bella." I groaned and put my head in my hands.

"What have they been saying?" He chuckled and shrugged.

"Not much. Jacob just said I should loosen up a bit and try and fit in more but not too much, Mike on the other hand basically said I was not allowed to date you. I was going to call him on that and make it a nice challenge but I don't think you would have gone with it."

"What, me pretending that we are dating?"

"No. Just us dating." He smiled crookedly at me; he could tell I was nervous with the conversation.

"I don't think that's likely." I said shaking my head, trying to move away from the thoughts of me and Edward dating.

"Either do I."

"Especially since you would rather have your manhood cut off with a spoon than date me." I teased. At first me tensed up and was ready to apologise but saw the smirk on my face and chuckled.

"Now that I think about it, dating you wouldn't be as painful as having my manhood cut off with a spoon. Dating you could probably be rather pleasurable." He was smirking again; thank God he has a sense of humour and wasn't going to jump down my neck about using his words against him.

"I guess you'll never know." He shrugged.

"I wouldn't be so sure." I eyed him suspiciously.

"What do you know that I don't?" He chuckled then answered with one word.

"Alice." That kinda makes sense, she continually asks me about what I think of Edward and every detail to do with him. "She thinks we would be a great match and her heart is set on getting us together."

"In which lifetime cause it sure isn't happening in this one." He laughed and nodded.

"You're probably right."

"There you two are!" Alice screeched as she bounced into the cafe. "And having a nice cosy lunch I see." Edward shot her an exasperated glare which I just caught, Alice didn't seem fazed though."

"Well when you two disappeared we all went for something to eat so it's a good thing that you two had lunch together. The others have all gone home. Mike, Jacob and Angela said they would call you Bella and Lauren will call you Edward. So now that's done, what are we doing, more shopping or going home?"

"Home!" Both Edward and I called in unison making Alice pout but not put up a fight.

As we all waited at the bus stop I couldn't help but laugh at Edward, he was so out of his depth. There were a group of girls a few years younger than us by the looks of them standing about a meter away and they were flirting shamelessly with him. He looked so uncomfortable. Then the elderly lady standing next to him gave him a wink and he practically jumped on Alice.

"Help me the plebs are undressing me with their eyes!" He whispered furiously to her. He actually looked in pain it was brilliant.

"Oh just take off your shirt and give them a real show." She sang before rummaging through one of her bags and telling me about how this would go great with something she saw in my wardrobe.

When the bus started to pull up to the stop I turned to both of them, but I was mostly talking to Edward.

"I'll put the money in for all of us, you just walk to where there are empty seats, and there should be loads as no one really gets this bus here. If downstairs is full go upstairs. It's simple. Oh and Edward, try not to sneer at the passengers, they won't like it." He nodded and looked like he was concentrating hard. I slipped my phone out of my pocket and took a picture of him; Alice winked and asked for a copy so they could put it in his baby book.

Eddie's first ride on a bus!

The doors opened to let us on and they both walked in before me, I put the money in with no trouble and we took seats a few rows back. I was glad we didn't have to go upstairs, I would hate for them to have seen how clumsy I am when the bus lunges forward and I'm climbing the stairs. I've gained more than my fair share of bruises from that.

Alice sat down and placed her bags on the window seat next to her. Edward let me slip past him to sit down so he could sit in the aisle. I didn't complain even though this was rather impractical since I knew when we were getting off and he didn't.

For the first five minutes Alice and I just watched Edward and both of ended up bursting out laughing. He actually looked like he was dying a slow and painful death. It wasn't until one elderly woman coughed that he began to freak out.

"Oh my God, how many diseases am I going to contract by sitting in the peasant death trap? They don't even have seatbelts, this is atrocious. And thanks to that old hag I'm probably breathing in her deathly germ molecules that are swarming round this travelling disease contraption. Alice did we update my will before I came on the horrid and pathetic excuse for a vehicle?" The pain and fear in his eyes set Alice off again; she just patted his head and continued to giggle.

Edward didn't say much for a while. Alice was winding him up by pretending to choke on the 'deathly germ molecules that are swarming round this travelling disease contraption'. Edward was not amused and stopped looking concerned after the fourth time she did it.

We all eventually stopped laughing and sat in silence which ended up opening a whole new can of worms. There were three guys, stocky looking with a few piercings and tattoos littering their arms and necks, and throughout the journey they kept talking about Alice and, in better language than what they used, how nice she looked.

I could tell Edward was getting agitated as he kept clenching and unclenching his fists but Alice wasn't bothered. It wasn't until they offered her £30 for sex that Edward started ranting again.

"This is absolutely disgusting behaviour. Here we are and one of us is being accosted for sex and being treated like a common whore which she definitely is not."

"I'll give you £40 and your boyfriend can watch!" One of them hollered.

"Screw this. I'm going to have them shot!" The weird thing is he was being deadly serious. He whipped out his cell phone and started dialling as he stood up. Alice lunged round tired to grab him but he was too quick so that left it up to me.

I grabbed his shirt with all my might and rammed him back down into the seat. Taking his phone away quickly I closed it and shoved it in his jean pocket, that was a tricky task in itself since he was sitting again so it didn't just slide in. I placed my hand on his chest to stop him moving again and turned his face to look at me.

"Please for the love of God stay in this seat. I know for a fact that they could kick your ass and I'd rather not spend the entire night in the emergency room. I beg of you, Edward. Stay sitting." I pleaded but he was no longer looking at me, he was looking at my hand on his chest.

The second I realised what he was staring at I felt like an electric shot had occurred and my hand leapt away from him as fast as possible. He kept staring at the spot on his chest where my hand had been though and then to my hand which I had placed on my knee.

Alice was watching the whole exchange curiously and raised her eyebrow at me. I had no idea what was now going on with Edward, probably horrified that a 'common' girl touched him, so shrugged.

When we were off the bus Edward sucked in as much clean air as possible and broke out in a grin. He was distracted momentarily so I decided to question Alice.

"When he said he was going to get them shot, could he really do that?" She bit her lip then waved her hand.

"Of course not." She was lying though. That much was obvious. "Oh Edward!" She called stepping away from me. Before he could turn round she smacked him on the back of the head.

"Ow! What was that for?" He whined.

"For being an idiot. Let's go."

Those two are really weird. But I guess...I wouldn't have it any other way.

Edward turned and motioned for me to come along. He gave me his famous crooked smile which, unlike before, made me weak at the knees. Oh crap!

I think...if it's even possible...I have a tiny, tiny, microscopic crush on Edward- the pompous show off who doesn't date anyone unless he has to.

Well that's just great!